Cotton-boll-cleaning machine



Feb. 7, 1928.

A. T. LOKEY coTToN BQLL CLEANING MACHINE JZTLaey,

(/7 t 6 I I Filed Feb. 5. 1927 i so Patented Feb. 7, 192s 1,658,409 PATENT! 0mm;

- ALLEN rfroxnr, or MEMPHIS, TEXAS.-

This invention relates to cotton boll cleaning machines and moreparticularly to a device for removing fromrcotton the. burs, trash and other foreign matter,.witlr the exception of seeds.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a structure wherein the choking or jamming oflthe cleaning meclr anism common to structures of this character is eliminated.

A still further object ofthc invention is to provide a device of this character which is particularly eliective in removing the dirt, trash and the like, so that the cotton may be delivered directly to the gin, if so desired. A still further object of the inventionjis to improve the structure of my prior Pat ent, No. 1,351,858, granted September T, 1920, for cotton boll cleaning machine, to

eliminate the necessity foremploying two sets of saws without reducing the actual output of the machine.

These and'other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accon'ipanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein t' Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a cotton cleaning machine "con structed in; accordance'with my invention:

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View therethrough. i I i Referring; now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally design nates a casing including a feed hopper 11 opening into the main compartment of the casing. The casing further includes anoutlet 12. Rotatably mounted within the "cas- I 'ing is a group of saws 13 rotating in the direction of the arrow A, so that the upper portion of the periphery thereof is noving toward the outlet 12. Above the outlet and adjacent the periphery of the saw group is the usual cleaning brush 14 rotatinginthe opposite direction from the saws 13, as indicated by'the arrow and, ata higher speed than the saws, so that cotton is diseng ed from the teeth of thesaws and discha ged through the outlet. Verticall i above the saw group is arranged a knocker roll lafwhich is preferably constructed in accordance with the directions of the patentabove identified. This roll has flanges 116, which extend adjacent theperipheries of the saw andthe roll is rotated in the opposite direction from the corrolv-norn-cnnenma E 7 Application fiieqrebnmr -a1s27. serial 110. 186,216.

direction of rotation of the saws, so thatburs clinging to the cotton,'which adheresnto the teeth of the saws, are fknocked therefrom and permitted to the discharge, hereinafter described. I i

Extending from through the casing is a cotton feed screw 17 which rotates in the direction of the arrow B, so thatits upper surface is movingl in' a direction away from the vertical plane including the axis of the saw group 13, This groove thus serves to direct cotton downwardly and toward the adjacent wall :18 of the casing. An inclined board 19 moves the cotton inwardly from the wall, so that this the bottom ofthe cotton is delivered to the teeth of the spike cylinder 20, whichrotates in the direction of the arrow C, so that adjacent portions of its periphery and of the periphery of the saw group are moving in opposite directions. I

This spike drum forces the cotton against the periphery of the drum, causing the cotton to be gatheredby the teeth of thesaws and carried about the periphery of the h group; Because of the opposition of move mentofadjacent surfaces of the spike drum and saws, the cotton bolls are'separa'ted and the burs broken, so that they are readily ther serves as. a'ineans for agitating the cotton,so as to permit any contained dirt to pass therefrom. x

The structure so far described constidetached therefromf The spike drum furu tutes normal cotton cleaning structure. In

accordance with my invention, I arrange beneath the spike drum 20 a second screw conveyor 21,.rotating in the same direction as the screw conveyor 1-7 and accordingly tending to move the cotton transversely of the saw group in the same manner. This conveyor and the spike drum thereabove urge the cotton toward a foraminous false wall 22 which is slightly spaced from the wall 18. so that a chute is provided, by means of which dirt, bits of burs, sticks and the like are directed downwardly to a discharge conveyor-'23. Below thescrew conveyor 21a second spike drum 24 is disposed, whichfrotates in the same-direction as the spike drum 20 and performs the same offices. It will be obvious that excess material which would i tend to jam theoperation of the machine and which has a tendency to collect adjacent the inlet end of the conveyor 17 Will be delivered by the spike drum 20 to the conveyor to very thoroughly separate therefrom any collected dirt, burs or similar substances which are carried away by the conveyor 23.

It will be noted that the toraminous wall 22 1s IDELtlGlIl the form of a series of concaves which are substantially concentric to the peripheries of. the spike drum 20, con- 'veyor 21 and spike drum 2%.

Since the construction hereinbetfore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departmg from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specif c structure except i so as hereinafter claimed.

I cla1m: 1. In a cotton boll cleaning machine. a

group of rotating concentric saws. a plurality of spike drums axially parallelingthe saw group and vertically spaced from one another, a conveyor above each spike drum and delivering cotton thereon and means for rotating the spike drums and saws in the same direction.

2. In a cotton boll cleaning machine, a group of rotating; concentric'saws a plurality of spike drums axially paralleling the saw group and vertically spaced from one another, a conveyor above each spike drum and delivering cotton thereon, means for rotating; the spike drums and saws in the same direction and a discharge conveyor beneath the lowermost spike drum.

3. In a cotton boll cleaning; machine. a group of rotating concentric saws, a plurality of spike drums axially paralleling the saw group and vertically spaced from one another, a screw conveyor above each spike drum axially paralleling the associated spike drum and delivering; cotton thereon, means for rotating: the spike drums and saws in the same direction and screw conveyors in the opposite direction.

4. In a cotton boll cleaning machine. a group of rotating concentric saws. a plurality of spike drums axially paralleling the saw group and vertically spaced from one another, a screw conveyor above each spike drum axially paralleling the associated spike drum and delivering cotton thereon, means for rotating the spike drums and saws in the same direction, screw conveyors in the opposite direction and a screw conveyor beneath the lowermost spike drum for receiving trash, burs and the like to discharge the same from the machine.

5. In a cotton boll cleaning machine, a group of rotating concentric saws, a plurality of spike drums axially paralleling the group and vertically spaced from one another, a screw conveyor above each spike drum and delivering cotton thereon, means for rotating thespike drums: saws and conveyors, a casing enclosing the saws, drums and conveyors including a wall arranged at the opposite side of the conveyor and drums from the saws and a foraminous false wall between said wall and the conveyors and drums.

6. In a cotton boll cleaning machine. a group of rotating concentric saws. a. plurality of spike drums axially paralleling the saw group and vertically spaced from one another, a screw conveyor above each spike drum and delivering cotton thereon, means for rotating; the spike drums, saws and conveyors, a casing enclosing the saws, drums and conveyors including a wall arranged at the opposite side of the conveyor and drumstrom the saws a foraminous false wall between said wall and the conveyors and drums and a, discharge conveyor beneath the lowermost spike drum and in communication with the space between said wall and false wall.

7. In a cotton boll cleaning machine. a group of rotating concentric saws a plurality of spike drums axially paralleling; the saw group and vertically spaced from 'one another. a screw conveyor above each which is concentric with the spike drum or conveyor with which it coacts.

8. In a cotton boll cleaning machine, a rotatable element having a toothed periphery, a plurality of spike drums axially paralleling the rotatable element and vertically spaced from one another, a conveyor above each spike drum and delivering cotton thereon and means for rotating the spike drum and rotatable element in the same direction.

In testimony whereof Ihereunto aiiix my signature.

ALLEN T. 'LoKnY. 

